Lidia Bastianich’s tips for buying Olive Oil

When Lidia Bastianich recently shot some cooking segments with me in my kitchen, she talked about choosing the right olive oil for the right dish.

Did you know that olive oils from northern Italy are best for salads? I didn’t. Olive oil is produced in just about all of Italy’s twenty regions, and they all have different flavor nuances.

And, according to Lidia, each olive oil is made using several different varietals of olives…something similar to many wines. Price, as you would expect, usually determines quality. Olive oils are rated by their oleic acid content. For instance, zero to one is the extra virgin olive oil – the best and most expensive. One to three percent is the virgin olive oil. Lidia prefers extra virgin/cold pressed, but she says to experiment to find your favorite flavors.

You can hear more of what Lidia has to say about olive oils on my website goodtastewithtanji.com

Lidia’s love of Italian food is contagious. You’ll enjoy her new cookbook. It’s full of easy recipes from many regions in Italy, and Lidia’s colorful descriptions and personal comments make it a fun read as well.